Simultaneously rendering a plurality of digital media streams in a synchronized manner by using a descriptor file

Abstract

A plurality of digital media streams are synchronized by using a descriptor file. The plurality of digital media streams includes a first digital media stream containing a digital audio narration of an originating work and a second digital media stream containing digital media content corresponding to the same originating work. The descriptor file contains location information for the plurality of digital media streams, synchronization time offsets in a timeline of the digital audio narration of the first digital media stream, and synchronization points in the digital media content of the second digital media stream that correspond to the synchronization time offsets. Two or more of the plurality of digital media streams, including the second digital media stream, are simultaneously rendered in a synchronized manner by accessing the descriptor file and correlating the synchronization points and the synchronization time offsets.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 downloading to a first client device a descriptor file for synchronizing a plurality of digital media streams, wherein the plurality of digital media streams each contain digital media content corresponding to a same originating work, wherein the plurality of digital media streams includes a first digital media stream containing a digital audio narration of the originating work and one or more other digital media streams, wherein the one or more other digital media streams include a second digital media stream, and wherein the descriptor file is external to the first digital media stream; 
 determining, by the first client device, from the descriptor file location information for two or more of the plurality of digital media streams, wherein the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams include the second digital media stream; 
 determining, by the first client device, from the descriptor file synchronization points in the digital media content of the second digital media stream that correspond to synchronization time offsets in a timeline of the digital audio narration of the first digital media stream, wherein the synchronization time offsets and the synchronization points are stored in the descriptor file in a manner indicating a correlation between the synchronization time offsets and the synchronization points; 
 locating, by the first client device, the two or more of the plurality of digital medial streams by using the location information; and 
 simultaneously rendering, by the first client device, the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams in a synchronized manner by correlating the synchronization points and the synchronization time offsets. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the digital media content of the second digital media stream is contained in the descriptor file. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the synchronization points in the part of the digital media content of the second digital media stream contained in the descriptor file are determined from the arrangement of the part of the digital media content in the descriptor file. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the part of the digital media content of the second digital media stream contained in the descriptor file is text content. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams that are simultaneously rendered further include the first digital media stream. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , where the second digital media stream contains an electronic text of the originating work. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 providing automated page turns as the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams are simultaneously rendered. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more other digital media streams further include a third digital media stream, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams that are simultaneously rendered further include the third digital media stream, the method further comprising:
 determining, by the first client device, from the descriptor file synchronization points in the digital media content of the third digital media stream that correspond to synchronization time offsets in the timeline of the digital audio narration of the first digital media stream. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of digital media streams are derived from the same originating work, and wherein the originating work is a written work. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital media content of each of the plurality of digital media streams includes an audio recording, a video recording, an audio/video recording, a static image, a moving image, an animation, an illustration, text content, footnote content, quotation content, user-entered content, advertising content, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tracking a current position in at least one of the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams as the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams are rendered. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 creating a bookmark by setting the current position as a bookmarked position, wherein the bookmark includes the bookmarked position and identifies the descriptor file; and 
 storing the bookmark on the first client device. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 rendering one or more of the plurality of digital media streams starting from the bookmarked position on the first client device. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more of the plurality of digital media streams were not used to create the bookmark. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transferring the bookmark from the first client device to a second client device; and 
 storing the bookmark on the second client device. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rendering one or more of the plurality of digital media streams starting from the bookmarked position on the second client device. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the descriptor file contains location information for the plurality of digital media streams, the synchronization time offsets in the timeline of the digital audio narration of the first digital media stream, and synchronization points in the digital media content of each of the one or more other digital media streams that correspond to the synchronization time offsets. 
     
     
       18. A method comprising:
 downloading to first and second client devices a descriptor file for synchronizing a plurality of digital media streams, wherein the plurality of digital media streams each contain digital media content corresponding to a same originating work, wherein the plurality of digital media streams includes a first digital media stream containing a digital audio narration of the originating work and one or more other digital media streams, wherein the one or more other digital media streams include a second digital media stream, and wherein the descriptor file is external to the first digital media stream; 
 determining, by the first and second client devices, from the descriptor file location information for two or more of the plurality of digital media streams, wherein the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams include the second digital media stream; 
 determining, by the first or second client device, from the descriptor file synchronization points in the digital media content of the second digital media stream that correspond to synchronization time offsets in a timeline of the digital audio narration of the first digital media stream, wherein the synchronization time offsets and the synchronization points are stored in the descriptor file in a manner indicating a correlation between the synchronization time offsets and the synchronization points; 
 locating, by the first and second client devices, the two or more of the plurality of digital medial streams by using the location information; and 
 simultaneously rendering, by the first and second client devices, the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams in a synchronized manner by correlating the synchronization points and the synchronization time offsets, wherein at least one of the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams is rendered on the first client device while at least a different one of the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams is simultaneously rendered on the second client device. 
 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 download a descriptor file for synchronizing a plurality of digital media streams, wherein the plurality of digital media streams each contain digital media content corresponding to a same originating work, wherein the plurality of digital media streams includes a first digital media stream containing a digital audio narration of the originating work and one or more other digital media streams, wherein the one or more other digital media streams include a second digital media stream, and wherein the descriptor file is external to the first digital media stream; 
 determine from the descriptor file location information for two or more of the plurality of digital media streams, wherein the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams include the second digital media stream; 
 determine from the descriptor file synchronization points in the digital media content of the second digital media stream that correspond to synchronization time offsets in a timeline of the digital audio narration of the first digital media stream, wherein the synchronization time offsets and the synchronization points are stored in the descriptor file in a manner indicating a correlation between the synchronization time offsets and the synchronization points; 
 locate the two or more of the plurality of digital medial streams by using the location information; and 
 simultaneously render the two or more of the plurality of digital media streams in a synchronized manner by correlating the synchronization points and the synchronization time offsets.